Memories
by Kryptik1
Summary: Memories and dreams haunt both Tashigi and Zoro as the chase for the Straw Hats leads them toward discovering things, about each other and themselves. Possible ZoroTashigi.
1. Of Dreams And Denial

Tashigi hated green hair.

It wasn't some deep seated phobia or dislike, spurned from some childhood tragedy. No, it was much more of an acquired thing. A recently acquired distaste at that. Of course, anyone on Smoker's crew, and those who frequently got reports from the captain himself knew well enough how this sudden hatred developed.

So why now was she dreaming of a sea of green-haired people? Bad enough that one gave her fits and nightmares, now she had to dream of thousands of them? It wasn't even a fun dream either, just a crowd of ugly, sea green heads as far as she could see from whatever subconscious precipice she stood on. "What is going on..." she whispered to herself, unconsciously reaching up to try and adjust her glasses, only to find she didn't have them. "Wh...where are my glasses!" she shouted, searching the ground in front of her frantically with her hands in hopes of finding her spectacles. After a few minutes though, she heard a sickening crunch, heavy feet smashing down on fragile glass. With a gasp, she looked up from her knees, eyes wide to see...

"FIGHT ME DAMMIT!"

With but a gasp, Tashigi woke up, bolting upright in her hammock...or at least as well as her tangled covers would let her, which wasn't much. It WAS, enough, however, to set her off balance enough to spin out of her hammock and land unceremoniously on her face. "OW!" Groaning as the rest of her body followed her onto the floor, she laid there, cheek pulsing from the rattlng fall down. She stayed here for a few seconds, partly because, well...it's hard for anyone to get up after such an impact with solid wood. Flesh and bone against sturdy wood board isn't that good of a matchup after all. However, her main reason for staying like this, eyes staring off to the side at the wall next to her, was becase of that dream. That dream, the same damn dream she had been having since Alabasta. The green hair all around her. And it always ended the same way...

With that same familiar boy, with short sea green hair, with an angry look and two shinai in his hands, shouting for her to fight...

-------------------------

One Piece:

Memories

By Kryptik

Chapter 1: Of Dreams and Denial

-------------------------

Disclaimer: One Piece and is characters are the property and creation of Mr. Eiichiro Oda and should be treated as such. In other words, I own NO ONE in this story.

--------------------------

It took Tashigi a good thirty minutes to clear her head after her rather uneventful fall. It took another ten or so to realize that she was the only one left in the barracks. Yet another five passed before she realized what time it was and rushed out of the barracks out onto the deck with a screech, hair deshevled and naught a worry about her state of dress. Punctuality, it had to be said was not exactly Tashigi's strongest suit.

Patience with Tashigi's scattered brain state was not one of Captain Smoker's strong suit's either. "OI! TASHIGI! GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!" he shouted, prompting the Sergeant to rush down the stairs, still in her pajamas. She managed to make it down to the final step before she tripped over herself (a new personal record of hers), the poor disheveled Navy Officer set into a none too comfortable roll across the deck, coming to a stop right at the feet of the fearsome looking White Chase himself.

"...what are you doing?" Smoker asked her in his usual intimidating baritone, sharp eyes staring down irritatedly at the swordswoman.

"I-I-I'm sorry, Smoker-san, I must've..."

Rather than let her finish though, Smoker simply sighed, a puff of his trademark cigar smoke filling the air in front of him. "Nevermind. Just get up." Turning away from the apologetic Sergeant, the gruff Marine Captain quickly made his way to a table set out over the deck, chart after chart piled along the surface, with one in particular pinned down with a rather large knife.

"We got word from reconnaissance about the Strawhat Pirate's location since they left Alabasta," the Captain said, his leather gloved finger prodding down on one of the many string of islands along the Grand Line, specifically the one where the island of Alabasta lies. "It looks like they stuck around long enough for their log post to point them to the next island on the chain. This one…" He stabs his finger down again at the island just after Alabasta. "…Star-Crossed Island."

"Star-Crossed Island?" Tashigi repeated, trying to think of just what that name was supposed to invoke. A slight blush formed over her cheeks as she thought of one thing…

"Astronomy island. It's supposed to hold the best telescopes in the world…" a lesser officer quickly inserted, though he quickly faded under Smoker's stern glare. "….sir."

Smoker simply sighed, nodding before turning to Tashigi, his finger drawing across the map into the sea between Alabasta and Star-Crossed Island. "Best estimate is that they're smack in the middle between two islands. If they stop there, their post will take a week to record. An eternal post is already on way from HQ, so we should be able to hit them before they can leave the island, unless they're fools." Of course, Smoker knew well enough that they weren't fools. Even if their captain was a bit dim, and the rest of the crew half-insane in their own right…fools don't go up against one of the strongest pirates in the world and beat him, especially one with the kind of power Crocodile had.

Tashigi meanwhile had other things in mind. Specifically, a certain green-haired bounty hunter. Roronoa… She fumed internally. While he redeemed himself slightly in Alabasta, she still couldn't forgive him, for fooling him at Rogue Town, as well as his stubborn refusal to fight her straight. Soon… "Un….this time, we'll be sure to capture them, right, Captain Smoker?"

Smoker gave Tashigi a look, one which most would wither under. Somehow, though, Tashigi simply took is assurance of her claim. Still, Smoker didn't outright agree with her, at least out loud. He simply barked out, loud as he can, "TO STAR-CROSSED ISLAND, FULL-SAIL!" An enthusiastic chorus of marines chanted back at him as they readied the sails. Even Tashigi joined in, thrusting her fist into the air with the others.

Yet something nagged her…that dream. And that kid……

-------------------------

Usually, when it came to daytime on the Going Merry, the swordsman known as Roronoa Zoro could be found doing only one of two things: 1) Training or 2) Sleeping. Surprisingly, today, he wasn't doing either. Not for lack of trying, however. His eyes were closed, and he was leaning against the deck rail as he always did on his usual naps. The only problem was he couldn't actually get to sleep. Perhaps it was that ero-chef moping over not having Vivi to flirt with anymore. Maybe it was Nami splitting her attention between similar moping and obsessing over the jewels their new 'arrival' had given her. Maybe it was Ussop trying to convince Chopper of yet another one of his outlandish lies, and having an entirely too easy of a time. Maybe it was Luffy being…well, Luffy. Maybe it was even that damn Ms. All-Sunday, which everyone seemed to charm up to all too quickly.

But as annoying as most of those were, they alone weren't enough to keep Zoro from his nap. After all…he's slept through the worst kind of weather the Grand Line could offer. No, it was something a little more personal. The kind of thing that Zoro kept seeing when he tried to close his eyes, and kept thinking about the times he could manage sleep.

-------------------------

"_That is an order…"_

"_But Sergeant Major, this is our chance! While they're unconscious, we can…"_

"_Right now, I will not allow ANYONE to lay a hand on them!"_

Amid the aftermath of a battle that nearly destroyed the country of Alabasta and deposited it into the hands of one of the cruelest masterminds in recent history, Tashigi was conflicted. However, despite the protests of her own soldiers, she had made up her mind. As if the rain, which had been so long denied to this country by Baroque Works helped cleanse her mind of any doubt she had over normally would be an unthinkable offense for a Marine such as her. But it had to be done. She, the Marines…this whole country owed a handful of pirates for the salvation of their country. Even if medals were out of the question, rewarding them with capture wouldn't be justice of any sort. And any protest from her officers…well, that was simply met with a stern glare, one which chilled them to the bone. A glare that they would have expected from Captain Smoker, not their clumsy Sergeant Major.

As the marines shuffled off, conveniently 'ignoring' the passed out Straw Hat pirates in the middle of the city street, Tashigi sighed. She gave the group one a look over before turning away, looking toward the center square, where King Nefertari Cobra was no doubt addressing the people, the long looming threat of revolution finally vanquished.

_"Don't think this is some favor I'm doing you. You saved this country…and for that, I'm grateful. But just because I curse my own lack of strength to help save this country doesn't mean you're not still criminals. Roronoa…and the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates…one day, I will help stop you." _Looking back, she held a heavy glare toward the slumped over form of Zoro, frowning. _"And I will take back those swords from you…I swear upon my life, as a Marine and as a Swordswoman…"_ With those final words, barely a whisper fallen upon deaf ears, she marched off. After all, Smoker was likely waiting for her to come back…

As she left, though, a grunt escaped Zoro, the San-To-Ryuu master barely cracking his eyes open. Even in his utterly exhausted state, he couldn't ignore the commotion the marines made. Sure, he could sleep through a storm, but with enemies like the Marines about…well, it would be shameful for a swordsman like him to be caught off guard. As Tashigi walked off, Zoro's eyes opened a little more, watching her back as she made her way back to port.

_"Damn woman…"_

-------------------------

(I could swear….) Zoro thought to himself. (She looked even more like her than before…) Thinking back to the glare she gave her subordinates as she ordered them to keep from touching the fainted Straw Hats, Zoro could only find frustration. (What is with that annoying woman!) he thought angrily, clutching a sword tightly in his hand. Aborting his attempted nap, he looked to his side…grimacing as he noticed just WHICH of his swords he had brought his hand to: Wado Ichimonji. (Geh….it figures.) Muttering, he opened his eyes up wider, looking up to the bow, looking at where the captain sat, as he always did.

"Oi, Luffy. You know where we're going?" the swordsman called out, prompting the captain to look back, hand holding his hat in place as he gave his unofficial first mate a somewhat blank look.

"Mmm? Where? Sure!" Luffy paused for a moment, as if thinking to himself before turning away, a hand cupped to his mouth. "Oi, Nami! Where are we going!" The Navigator, looking up from her newly acquired horde of jewels blinked as her name was called.

"Huh?" Quickly switching away from her starstruck state, she looked over to the charts out on the table nearby. "Oh…Star-Crossed Island," she read off rather matter-of-factly from a chart thankfully offered from the Royal Family to give them fair warning as to what to expect from the islands further down the chain. As if right on cue, Sanji came in, a long flowery speech over turbulent love, directed at both Nami and Robin…but Zoro tuned it out, looking down as he brow furrowed.

(Why do I have a bad feeling about this?...)

-------------------------


	2. What is

Star-crossed Island wasn't much different from most of the islands that the Straw Hat Pirates had visited before. A port, villages, plenty of land. Oh…and a forest of telescopes extending over the island like an octopus' tentacles. Ok, so the last part was somewhat different, but all the same, the usual process applied: find a hidden place to port that was still near enough to a village. After all, what sane island would allow a pirate ship to port in plain sight?

"OOOOOH! Urchin! It's a giant urchin!!" Luffy shouted from the prow of the ship, legs straddled over his sheep's head perch with a hand shielding his eyes as he peered out toward the approaching island.

"Oi, Luffy, it's not an urchin! Those are telescopes! See the lenses at the top!" Usopp corrected, pointing toward the centerpiece of the island, the almost comically large scope extending out from a domed building at the highest plateau.

"Ah, so it's a mystery island," Luffy quickly added with a sage nod, arms folded over his head, the response quickly met with a quick chiding hand-chop and an "Oi!" from the sharpshooter.

"Do you know where we can set anchor, Navigator-san?" Robin asked from the upper level of the deck, leaning over the railing with a bag already prepared over her shoulder as the crew prepared for their approach. Of all people, it seemed like Robin might have the most to gain from an island like this, one of fellow scholars. There could even be clues toward a Poneglyph!

"Hrm…" Nami studied the chart of the island carefully, looking around to make sure of safe port. "There should be a low clearing on the eastern side of the island we can drop anchor near. It's not too far from the village and it's hidden by the nearby bluffs." Turning toward the steering room, she shouted, "More to starboard!" A twin grunt of "AYE!" from Sanji and Chopper responded as the two pulled the whipstaff, guiding the ship toward their destination.

And Zoro….

_Why do I still have a bad feeling about this?_ _What is it about coming here that worries me so much? _he pondered to himself, frowning as he walked up the deck from the stern, arm resting on the pommels of his swords. Staring over the railing toward the island, the felt that unease grow even more in his stomach. Something told him that he'd find little but trouble here on this island. Nothing but…

"Oi, Zoro, what's the matter?" The swordsman nearly fell over as he found Luffy suddenly right in front of him, the captain somehow sneaking up on him (from the front…somehow…) while he was thinking about that gut feeling of his. "You eat something bad or something?"

"Nghh!...Luffy, how the hell…no, I didn't eat anything bad! I…" He started to protest…before he found a foot sailing for the side of his head, a strike he quickly parried with a backhanded swing of his arm.

"YOU INSULTING MY COOKING, MARIMO?!" Sanji shouted, vein throbbing in his head. "Bakayarou!"

"You stay out of this, Magic Eyebrow!"

"You shitty little seaweed!"

"YOU WANT TO FIGHT?!" "YOU WANT TO FIGHT?!" the two of them shouted in unison at each other….before twin fists of justice met their chins, courtesy of Nami.

"You two shut up and calm down. We're already wanted as is, and we don't need to give people any more reason to notice us!!"

"HAI, NAMI-SAAAAN!" Sanji shouted dazedly from his place on the ground, while Zoro twitched, a vein throbbing in HIS head now as he grumbled internally about the navigator.

_I'm going to kill that witch someday!_

-------------------------

One Piece:

Memories

By Kryptik

Chapter 2: What is...

-------------------------

Disclaimer: One Piece and is characters are the property and creation of Mr. Eiichiro Oda and should be treated as such. In other words, I own NO ONE in this story.

--------------------------

Tashigi didn't like laying in bed…at least, not when it wasn't night time. It just felt wrong…not to mention her horrible tendency to….

"SERGEANT MAJOR!!"

…fall off it and onto her face. Just like right now. It's a good thing she didn't have her glasses on. She doesn't think she could afford to lose her current pair right now, even as close to Star-Crossed as they were. "Owwww….."

"…um, Sergeant Major..., are you ok?" the hapless, somewhat embarrassed marine asked, blinking several times as he looked over the fallen Tashigi.

"Unn…yes, I think so. What is it?" she asked, rubbing her nose, eyes crossing as she did her best to see if it was messed up in any way…which only made her look even more ridiculous than she already did.

"W-we're approaching Star-Crossed Island right now. Captain Smoker wants you out on deck right now."

"Hai…" she said softly, still rubbing her nose as she picked herself off the floor. Sighing, she looked around the room. Shaking her head clear of the cobwebs as the subordinate walked off, she reached up to where her jacket hung on the wall. The next island was likely to be colder than Alubarna was, so she definitely would need it. As she slipped one arm into it, she frowned, remembering the last time she had it on.

--------------------------

_"I said not to get in my way!"_

_"How many times must you face me before you're satisfied?!"_

_"Dogs that run away to lick their wounds have no right to speak of justice. That is a rule of this sea. Now why don't you go back to your Marine Headquarters and discuss your justice some more!"_

Her leg hyper-extended thanks to one Nico Robin, her sword too far out of reach for her to even dare think of reaching in without some painful crawling, Tashigi felt helpless. She knew that a bomb was going to go off in five minutes. She knew that Nico Robin had the king of the country in her grasp and was kidnapping him off to some unknown location…and she knew that Crocodile, in all his sneering, arrogant glory, had gone off to meet his accomplice for some unknown ends. And yet, all she could do was lie there, helpless and hopeless. She couldn't do anything. She could help save this country. She could help stop Crocodile or Baroque Works. She couldn't do anything. Was this Justice? Was there nothing she could do?

After much straining, much pain and blurred vision, she finally reached her beloved Shigure. Her leg, though still paining her, was able to at least support her a little as she rose up onto her knees. Just then, she saw a figure in red, with shaggy black hair. Even if he wasn't wearing his trademark, she knew who it was.

_"Straw Hat!"_

_"Which way'd he go?! That Croc?!" _he asks, huffing, anger in his eyes. Tashigi was taken aback by the passion of the fatigued man, one of the most wanted pirates in the world…and then, Cobra's words echoed in her head, reminding her of the bomb.

_A million lives at stake. And now him. What can I…what can I…_

She knew she couldn't take on Nico Robin…and Crocodile was even further out of the question. Taking on the Straw Hat was possibly a better fight, but even in her current state…and yet, despite being a pirate, despite being a known and unabashed criminal…he seemed to be the one most intent on defeating the Shichibukai member. And at this point…he might be the only one who could reach him and beat him….his arrogant, mocking laugh, his superior, self-serving, EVIL…

_"Tell me! Where did that Croc go?!"_

His anger was only met with narrowed eyes…she knew this was against everything a Marine should stand for. She knew that this man was a wanted pirate, and she had to do everything in her power to arrest him and see that Absolute Justice was paid in full. And yet…she couldn't ignore the crisis. She couldn't ignore the fact that unless someone did SOMETHING, a million people would die, and a country…possibly the WORLD would be thrown into chaos. With a heavy heart, Shigure fell from her grasp, rolling in front of her….and in silence, she pointed the way.

_"Toward the Tomb area…"_

_"That way? Thanks!!"_

As Straw Hat Luffy ran off full clip for a showdown with Crocodile, Tashigi was left alone, with thirty unconscious Marines. Her teeth gritted, a sob escaped from her throat…before her head dropped to the ground, her hand grasping weakly at the soil before her, etching grooves into the ground as she clenched her fist.

_"What justice….what Marine Headquarters?!"_

--------------------------

_What justice….what IS justice?_ Tashigi thought to herself. She used to be so sure of what she thought was justice. Even if she took to her own brand of justice, much like her Captain, her faith in that justice was shattered at Alubarna. Not only was she too weak to do anything but order her troops to guide the Straw Hats to where the bomb was and gather up the rest of the low level Baroque Works members, but she had to entrust her faith and the fate of a country to PIRATES. **PIRATES.** Pirates saved the country of Alabasta, while she and her marines could do nothing but assist them.

_Is Justice truly only for the strong? I can't believe that. I can't…what kind of world is it where only the strong can survive, and the weak, used or killed?_ She had to find out what justice meant. What it meant to **her**. If she couldn't find out what her justice she call herself a Marine? Could she call herself a swordswoman? Could she call herself anything?

"TASHIGI!!" came the shout from outside, the ever familiar bellow of the White Hunter himself., the call surprising her enough that she crashed into the wall where Shigure was held, the sword popping out of its stand and dropping onto her chest.

_...You'll help me, Shigure. We'll find our justice together,_ she thought, closing her eyes before finally standing up to meet her captain out on deck, thoughts of Alubarna, Headquarters, and of course Roronoa racing through her head as she stepped from her quarters.

--------------------------

"Ehhhhh?"

He doesn't know how he got here…he doesn't know how the town just disappeared…and the Merry…and the rest of the crew. All Zoro knows is that somehow, he managed to find himself on some secluded area of the island. No signs, no roads, no buildings, just sand, rocks, trees, and water. "The hell?"

"ROAAAAAARR!"

Not to mention a rather large cross between what seems to be a bear and a jungle cat, rising up on hind legs with sharp claws intent on shredding the swordsman to ribbons.

"…hrmph. At least I'll have food to bring back when I find those lost idiots," he said to himself, teeth gritted and eyes focused as he reached for Yubashiri, steel flashing as he rushed the Bear-Cat, his other hand going for his Kitetsu as the first sword is drawn.

"Nitouryuu….TAKANAMI!!"

--------------------------

…to be continued.


End file.
